New Delhi, May 15: Former Indian cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri believes that Sanju Samson is the leading contender to become India’s next T20 captain after Suryakumar Yadav. Shastri highlighted Samson’s extensive experience as captain of the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.
Samson had an impressive performance in the T20 World Cup 2026, playing crucial innings in both the semi-final and final matches, which earned him the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award. Shastri sees this as a potential starting point for Samson to carve out a leadership role for himself.
Speaking on the ICC review show, Shastri stated, “India may need a new captain for the next T20 World Cup in 2028, depending on Suryakumar’s performance in the coming years. However, Sanju Samson has prepared himself for a leadership role, having captained the Rajasthan Royals. He will play in the top order and is a dangerous batsman. I believe this is just the beginning; you will see Sanju perform even better in the next two or three years.”
Samson has captained the Rajasthan Royals for five seasons and led the team to the finals in 2022. His experience as a captain and ability to handle pressure situations strengthen his credentials for a future leadership role in the national team.
At 31, Samson is in excellent form in international cricket, having scored three consecutive half-centuries during India’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign. While there have been questions about his consistency, Shastri believes that Samson has silenced his critics with his recent performances.
Shastri added, “I think Samson has answered all those questions. He has always had the capability. People were disappointed because he wasn’t living up to that potential. However, this season, the way he has played after the T20 World Cup, where he single-handedly won several crucial matches for the Indian team, including the quarter-final, semi-final, and final, along with his maturity in the IPL, makes him the top contender for a leadership role in the future.”